A day Trip to Gordon Dam & Lake Pedder

We set off from Hobart at 8am for a 160km journey into Tasmania’s stunning Southwest National Park. After a quick stop in historic New Norfolk for lunch—your last major town before the wilderness—I passed hop fields along the River Derwent. My mum used to go hop picking by horse and cart as a girl, and it’s one of her fondest memories.

Beyond Mount Field National Park and the mountain biking town of Maydena, the scenery turned dramatic. We pulled over to capture the rugged peaks with my camera and I got to stretch my legs on the Creepy Crawly Trail, a mossy rainforest walk full of character (and low branches!).

At Lake Pedder, Tasmania’s second-largest lake, I reflected on its controversial flooding in the 1970s for hydroelectric power—an event that sparked one of the largest environmental protests across the planet. I wandered the white sands at Ted’s Beach, crossed tea tree-stained streams, and followed a boardwalk to breathtaking views of glaciated mountains.

My final stop was the towering Gordon Dam. I tasted a spicy pepper-berry leaf on the way to the lookout (note: water required!) and braved the 185 steps back up—just as a cog rail whisked workers to the top. Standing on the dam wall, I felt the sun, silence, and awe. My dad helped build stress tunnels here in the 1970s after arriving from England—a proud connection to this engineering marvel.

As the day came to an end, satisfied with the pictures I captured from the day and information I learned, we made our way back to Hobart feeling privileged to have experienced such beauty in a remote part of Tasmania.

Trip Tips

• Comfy walking shoes
• National Parks Pass (The TTIC can arrange this)
• Water bottle
• Raincoat and other warm layers
• Sunscreen
• Snacks
• Camera (essential!)

Anita Bingham - Travel Advisor
Tasmanian Travel & Information Centre